At least my room is safe. Or it should be. For all I know, Rhubarb might have destroyed it while I've been gone. I hope not, but I've never had a kitten before and don't know what their destructive powers are like.
Hopefully, he'll have been a good boy and not ripped anything to shreds.
Chapter Seven
I shuffle on the bed, propping myself up on my elbows so I can watch the two kittens play on the floor. They're chasing one of my slippers around, and making me very glad I never wear them. By the time the two of them are finished, I'm sure there won't be any of them left.
A knock sounds at the door, drawing me out of my little kitten loving haze. I don't know what it is about them, but I'm captivated. At this rate, I'm going to start thinking I somehow imbued them with a love potion.
"Coming," I shout, wondering who it can be. Daphne would just have walked in. She has no respect for personal space, something I definitely expect from having a best friend.
I pull the door open and blink a couple of times.
"Can I come in?" Caspian asks, his voice rasping through me and making my heart do a weird somersault.
"Erm, sure. How did you get into the flat?" As far as I know, the front door has a lock on it just like my bedroom does.
"Your friend let me in. She called me Thomas." He frowns.
"That's Mr Smith," I say. "I told her he was helping me with the kitten situation."
"Ah, that makes sense. So, may I? Or would you prefer to have this conversation in your doorway?" The words should sound sarcastic, and yet they don't. I think he probably would have this conversation right where we're standing if he thought it'd make me more comfortable.
"Come in, but watch out for the kittens," I warn.
"Kittens? As in more than one?"
I sigh. "I made another one in potions," I admit.
"That only gives me more questions."
I chuckle. "I was cleaning up my friend's mess. Or trying to."
"Ah. Do they have names?" He sets the bag he's carrying on the floor, and both kittens run straight over to it, sniffing and pawing at the plastic.
"The one from yesterday is Rhubarb. The ginger one is, erm, Ginger." Now I'm telling someone, it seems like a stupid name. And one that's far too obvious.
"Was one of the ingredients you used today ginger by any chance?" he asks.
I nod. "I think that's why it came out this way."
"You don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, do you?" he teases.
I hang my head in shame. "I don't have the first idea about where to start." And my online searches just led to me staring at cat memes for three hours. Hardly productive research.
"Luckily for you, I do. I brought you everything you need."
"You...what?"
Instead of answering, he dug into the bag and pulls out what looks like a cushion. He places it in the corner next to the radiator, and both kittens plough into it.
"They really like what you brought."
"They should, everything is designed for kittens." He hands me a book from his bag.
"A beginner's guide to kittens?" I read the title to him.
"You said you didn't know anything about them, it seemed sensible to start at the beginning."